guzhao67  +  626837 Tue, 30 Dec 08 06:50 PM Hi there: I have a question about the name of a grammatical term. In the "simple present" and the "simple past, (or the "simple tense forms"), what's the meaning of "simple"? does it mean "easy", or "mere"; or "plain", or whatever. in my opinion, the meaning should be the opposite of "compound", e.g; "mere". could you help me? thank you guzhao67 Joined on Mon, Oct 20 2008 New Member 41 Simple Present, Tenses, Present Tenses, Simple Past, Past Tenses, Simples Tenses, Simple Tenses

	AlpheccaStars  +  626901 Tue, 30 Dec 08 08:10 PM The simple tenses are created by the most direct way of conjugating the verb. That might be the reason for them to be called "simple", but there is a different underlying simplicity - the time factor. The simple tenses are called simple because they show only the action described the verb with respect to a single time reference. These tenses are contrasted with the progressive tenses which show continuous action over an interval of time and the perfect tenses which refer to a second relative point in time.     AlpheccaStars Joined on Sun, Oct 12 2008 Senior Member 3,508 The pen is mightier than the sword. Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873) Tenses, Simples Tenses, References, Business, Career

	CalifJim  +  627080 Wed, 31 Dec 08 12:11 AM guzhao67 “what's the meaning of "simple"?” plain -- just one word -- unadorned by any grammatical machinery for creating the progressive or perfect aspects or the passive voice.  It's a way of having a term that fits into the following paradigm. simple                       perfect               progressive                perfect progressive passive                     passive perfect    passive progressive    passive perfect progressive Both the term present and the term past can precede any of the eight designators above. The word continuous can substitute for the word progressive.  They both mean the same thing. Without the term simple, one item in the paradigm would have no name!  CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,415 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

	AlpheccaStars  +  627097 Wed, 31 Dec 08 12:27 AM CJ: Thanks for the more detailed explanation. It's only a name, unadorned, plain and simple. I do have a follow-up question - I thought that active/passive related to the dimension of "voice" rather than tense. Are the passive forms recognized as their own tenses? I had the impression that "tense" was only a temporal dimension, not the transitivity and subject / object inversion. What about "mood" - such as subjunctive, conditional, etc. How does mood fit with the paradigms of tense and voice? AlpheccaStars Tenses, Subjunctives, Conditionals

	Verb_aTIM  +  627261 Wed, 31 Dec 08 03:58 AM   Simple form means,  "the simplest form of conjugating a verb.". It doesn't mean "easy".   It doesn't mean "mere" neither.   It doesn't mean "plain", not by any means. Although it is "the simplest form of putting a verb in action", it doesn't mean it is "opposite to compound". See what I mean.            I buy that car.             I do buy that car.              Do I not buy that car?             Should I buy that car?             I f I did buy that car, I would buy gasoline too.             That car is bought  by me.             Wasn't that car bought by me? All of the above are  some examples of  "Simple Forms". TIM Verb_aTIM Joined on Mon, Oct 27 2008 New Member 29 Pattern Seekers welcome.